More than 56% of dentists with suspended registrations at the Portuguese Dental Association (OMD) cited their intention to practice abroad as the reason, revealing the scale of emigration in the sector, according to the study “Numbers of the Order 2025”.
Data released by the OMD (Portuguese Dental Association) shows that, at the end of 2024, there were 2,408 dentists with suspended registrations, a 4.2% increase compared to the previous year. Although the growth is more moderate than in previous years, the absolute number remains high and reaches a new historical maximum. Of these professionals, 1,476 have had their registrations suspended for more than five years, a situation that the Association considers indicative of a definitive departure from the practice of dentistry in Portugal.
Among dentists who suspended their registration, the majority cite emigration as the main reason. France emerges as the most frequent destination, accounting for 27% of responses, followed by the United Kingdom with 16.6%, and Italy with 13.9%. This data confirms a trend already observed in recent years, associated with the search for better working conditions and professional advancement outside the country.
Meanwhile, the number of dentists with active registration continues to grow. In 2024, the Portuguese Dental Association (OMD) registered 13,498 active professionals, 3.9% more than the previous year, reinforcing the high density of dentists in Portugal. The national ratio stood at one professional for every 766 inhabitants, a value significantly above the World Health Organization’s reference, which points to approximately one dentist per 2,000 inhabitants.
The study also highlights changes in the profession’s profile, with a gradual increase in the average age and a female majority among active professionals. Despite overall growth, the Order warns of regional imbalances in the distribution of dentists and the structural impact of emigration, which continues to remove a significant number of professionals trained in Portugal from the country.
